The Talent

Darrel BroekHe joined the team of the new restaurant as a manager in 1984 and then guiding Cafe Max until he decided to purchase it in 1988. At that point he added and extra X to the Cafe Maxx name, and partnered up with Chef Oliver Saucy, and the two took the restaurant to new heights. With strong leadership and keen marketing, Broek wanted to expand to other locales after the first seven years had past. Having had great success, they decided to open up a series of restaurants under the "East City" brand name. The first being East City Grill on the beach of Fort Lauderdale in late 1995, and then in the later 90's they opened East City Bistro's in both Delray and Vero Beach. At that point they took their talents out of state and in 2001 opened East City Bistro in Birmingham, Alabama. Followed by East City Grill in Weston, Florida, and Bistro 17 on 17th street in Fort Lauderdale in 2002. With Chef Saucy's increasing role on the national stage of celebrity chefs, the duo decided to focus their attention on their flagship location, Cafe Maxx, a move that assures their personal care and dedication will never be diminished. They decided to start down sizing and by mid 2007 were back to one restaurant, the original "Cafe Maxx" in Pompano Beach which, this past April 2018 celebrated 34 years of business.

​No matter how brilliant the chef, every outstanding restaurant needs a guiding force and welcoming voice. At Cafe Maxx, Darrel Broek has been setting the tone for this highly successful establishment for over thirty years.Beloved by his patrons, Broek's outgoing and warm demeanor has turned clients into family. He has an innate sense of what his patrons' desires are and the ability to fill that need night after night. Keeping long-term restaurant goers satisfied while constantly attracting new visitors is not an easy task but his extensive background has served him well.After receiving his academic degree in Hospitality and Food Services, Broek entered the restaurant scene in South Florida. In 1974 he began working at the Sea Ranch Hotel and in 1977 he joined the dynamic restaurant group headed by Leonce Picot and worked for both the La Vielle Maison in Boca Raton and The Down Under in Fort Lauderdale. Four years later, Broek and his family left for Asheville, North Carolina where he managed The Market Place Restaurant. Here he developed a distinctive menu based on a new interpertation of American cuisine. In 1984, Broek returned to Florida and began his journey at Cafe Max which he purchased in 1988, and re-christened the locale with an additional "X". Joining of forces with Chef Oliver Saucy has proven to be one of the industry's most successful pairings, the partners compliment each other perfectly.

Oliver Saucy​Many feel that Oliver Saucy was destined to become a great chef. Just like his recipes, Saucy's background contains the perfect mélange of ingredients. A blending of nature and nurture, Saucy's distinctive talents have captured the country's attention.

Oliver is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY but he actually learned to cook from his father. He grew up in a medieval German Castle in the Black Forest region which had been converted into a resort hotel where his father was the resort's Executive Chef and young Oliver spent lots of time in his kitchen, learning how to perform fundamental cooking techniques. Growing up, Saucy gained an intimate understanding of the dedication necessary to become a masterful interpreter of cuisine. "My father taught me about the importance of using fresh ingredients and those that have been minimally processed. He has always had his own garden", Oliver says.

Upon graduating from the CIA, Oliver was determined to hone his craft. Venturing to South Florida, he developed a unique style and approach to cooking. His position at Café Maxx provided him with the perfect venue to showcase his innate talent and ever-expanding skills. The perfect balance of classic technique and creative process is what has elevated Saucy to an elite level. With numerous magazine write-ups and television appearances, he has garnered high praise from the press and industry critics. His list of accolades and distinctions are quite impressive, but his focus is always about pleasing his clients. "Balance" he says, "is the key. It helps me to keep everything in proper perspective".